Inspiration/Perspiration Fridays

Love Your Body at Any Age

Ms. Bockle: When working out at a gym about 10 years ago, I couldn’t help looking around at all the different body types and ages of the gym goers. When I saw people who were 10 to 20 years my senior, getting round with walking aids while working out on different apparatuses, my first thought was ‘Oh no, do I have to keep doing this routine for the next 30 years?!”

Well, here I am–adjusting my attitude towards keeping active and strong. Realizing that if I truly love myself, part of the healthy package deal is a strong body that doesn’t use old age as an excuse to give up on lifting weights, walking miles, and even increasing my momentum. Part of the adjustment to my mindset to exercise is getting ‘routine’ out of my vocabulary.

Another change in attitude has to do with a healthy dose of love of self. That love has resulted in reversing the aging process regarding muscle and tone atrophy; this week’s activities being good examples of losing the routine and loving myself:

* walking up and down hills while pushing or pulling garbage cans
* swimming
* walking 4 + miles with a friend and a stranger

I’m already looking forward to what action-moves could be in store for me next week; garbage cans will probably not be involved.

Catchy Food Phrases

LaFitterina: I’ve been noticing that food manufacturers are taking pains to put clever and inspiring messages on their food packaging. The more inspiring the verbiage, the better we’ll feel about consuming what’s inside, I guess.

I found some examples of thought-provoking messages on food in my pantry/fridge:

Soy Milk: “Soy to the World! . . . On the road to health, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”

Chicken Curry Wrap: “Very few things are greater than the love of food.”

Southwest Black Beans: “Wily as the coyote, surprising as the desert flower, this food is robust, earthy and alive.”

Good Earth Tea: “It’s not easy being good but someone has to do it . . . We seek out the exotic, the unexpected, the moments where you can really let loose . . . Our tea may be untamed, but our commitment isn’t.”

Along with bits of inspiration, some of this is a little baffling, and maybe even borderline off-putting. Anyway, I’m going to continue to be on the lookout for inspirational messages where they’re least expected — I hope you’ll join me in this quest.

We Found Love, Yay.

Mizzfit: Turns out it’s easy to find love on YouTube! Here’s a video of Lindsey Stirling playing violin for some Kenyan peeps, love those smiles and glimpses of the African landscape. Enjoy your weekend, and remember to play with fire on Independence Day…